Once Bitten and Twice Shy
by Hermies818
Summary: A Jolex story with a Mer/Alex friendship and an interesting patient story. Set sometime in season 10, omitting Meredith and Christina's fight as well as Alex's dad. Rated T for some language here and there
1. Chapter 1

Jo Wilson yawned as she walked through the doors of Grey-Sloan Memorial. She made her way to the surgical board then groaned inwardly. Today she was working in General under Medusa Grey. If she was going to get through this day, she needed coffee. Making her way up the coffee cart, Jo swore she could almost hear, as if in voice over, Medusa making some speech about how attending's were meant to be feared and how attending's themselves had nothing to fear except other attending's or something like that. Although she had to admit that after she had started dating Alex, Medusa had gotten a little better. Not a lot, mind you, but markedly so. Maybe it was the post birth hormones.

As she thought about the change in her attending, her mind inevitably drifted to her own attending and smiled subconsciously. Alex was really perfect for her. Smart, funny, sexy, damn good in bed, but most importantly she knew that she didn't have to hide who she was around him. To use a phrase that she'd heard a few times around the hospital, the two of them were equally 'dark and twisty'. She wondered where Alex was. He'd had to leave before she woke up due to some big trauma coming in. As if on cue, she suddenly found herself pulled into a deep kiss in the middle of the hall.

"Good morning, sleep well?"

"You should know."

Alex smirked as he pulled her close. "Didn't sleep a wink." She laughed as he kissed her again.

"Ugh, can the two of you just grab an on call room like the rest of us?" Christina gave a look of disgust as she pushed past them to get to the coffee cart.

"Bite me Yang."

"Looks to me like you've already got your mouth full." Christina shot back, laughing as Alex swatted at her as she went off to greet Meredith, who was just walking in.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" Alex asked once they were alone again.

"Planning on pigging out on the couch in my PJ's, why?"

"Well I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner. I mean you don't have to, PJ's on the couch sounds just fine." Alex stammered slightly.

Jo was a little taken aback. This was a supremely romantic gesture coming from Alex. "Going out sounds like fun." She replied.

"Really? You're not just saying that to make me happy?"

"No really, we can go out. It'll be fun, we can try that new Italian place by the Space Needle."

He grinned, "So it's a date?"

She laughed. "It's a date."

"Great," he gave her a final kiss as his pager went off. "Plan on going out about 7." And with that went running off.

Jo gave a happy little sigh, tonight was going to be wonderful. She could feel it.

* * *

><p>"Can you believe Hobo Jo is dating Alex? I mean it's so, so..."<p>

"Us when we were interns?" Meredith asked. The two of them were casually eating lunch in between surgeries.

"Whatever, those two are too damn happy. Happy people are annoying." Christina popped another chip. "You know she's basically you right?"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on," Christina exclaimed. "She's had a really crappy childhood, went to a great college, she's seriously dating a formerly married attending even though she tried to avoid it, her attending is feared by all even though she's a happily married mother, she's even living in your house!"

"Ok, 1) Not my house anymore, and 2) Derek was still married when I met him."

"Yeah but you didn't know that."

"What didn't she know?" Derek asked as he joined the pair.

"Just how alike her and Hobo Jo are." Christina chirped, popping the last chip into her mouth.

"Huh, you know now that I think about it, it makes sense. What with the crappy childhood and the dating an attending thing and all. Does that make Alex me?"

"McDreamy crossed with Evil Spawn," Christina mused. "McSpawn?"

"Evil Dreamy?" Derek countered.

"You both are sick, you know that?"

Derek smiled and kissed his wife's cheek. "What've you got for this afternoon?"

"I'm consulting on an appendectomy on an 11 year old," Meredith replied. "Why?"

"Well, we haven't really had a chance to go out since the Gala and I thought that tonight would be a good time to go out for a nice romantic dinner, just the two of us."

"Can Callie babysit?"

"Oh please, she's been over at your place for the past, what, six weeks? She's probably sick of your house." Christina remarked. "Tonight I will play the role of devoted godmother and spoil your children completely rotten."

Meredith shot her person a look that was equal parts thanks and amusement while Derek just rolled his eyes.

"Try not to burn the place down Yang." He quipped.

"I can't promise anything."

* * *

><p><strong>Next chapter I'm planning on introducing the patient story. Reviews are very much appreciated!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm not a doctor so I don't know if any of these things are real (or at least, are dealt with in this way). Sorry for any mistakes, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"So what are you telling me?"<p>

Derek Shepard looked at the pretty, twenty something girl sitting opposite him. This was the only part of the job he hated. "You have a tumor in your brain that was previously benign which is why it hasn't been detected until recently but which now appears to have become malignant."

"You don't have to hide behind medical terminology Doctor Shepard. What are my options?"

"Normally I'd say we need to operate immediately and remove it. Because it's buried so deeply in your occipital lobe your survival are very small."

"How small is 'very small'?" the girl asked.

"About 10-15%."

Jessica closed her eyes and leaned her head back. This wasn't supposed to be happening to her. The rest of the world knew her as Jessica Hall, lead singer of the multiplatinum selling band 'Wall Street & Broadway'. She was 27, the world was supposed to be hers for the taking. But right now she was just Jessica Hall, a young woman with a nearly inoperable brain tumor. She felt sick. "How long do I have if I choose not to have the surgery?"

"Ordinarily I'd say 18 months, but with your schedule," Derek looked at the chart. She may have been just another patient inside the hospital, but outside she had engagements in Los Angeles, New York, London, to say nothing of her day to day life. "With your schedule I'd cut that number in half." He watched as Jessica struggled to absorb what he had just told her. "I'm very sorry, is there anyone you can call?"

Jessica swallowed the bile she felt rising in her throat. She immediately thought of her band mates. They were her family, how was she supposed to tell them she'd be dead in 9 months?

"I'll give you some privacy." Derek said and slipped out of the room.

Forcing herself not to cry, she picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Robby Collins, 11 years old, scheduled for an appendectomy." Jo rattled off as she, Alex, and Meredith filed into the patients room. In the bed was a bright eyed young boy, laughing as a young man who looked like an older version of Robby allowed himself to be beaten by the young kid at a video game. Jo smiled as the older man ruffled Robby's hair. "He's probably Robby's older brother." She thought.

"Nice to meet you Robby, I'm Doctor Grey and these are doctors Karev and Wilson," Meredith introduced them. "We're the ones who are going to hopefully make you feel a lot better."

"Am I gonna get to go home soon?" Robby asked.

"Not tonight buddy but Dr Grey, Dr Wilson, and I are gonna get you out of here as soon as we can." Alex made a face at the young boy, causing him to dissolve into a fit of giggles. The young man sitting next to him smiled and held out his hand to the doctors.

"Zach Collins, I'm Robby's father."

Jo tried not to let the surprise show on her face. He looked like he couldn't be much older than she was and she was only 27. As if reading her mind, Zach smirked a little.

"Robby's mom and I had him when we were teenagers. Not exactly the smartest plan but it left me with this little guy so I guess it all turned out alright."

"We have his surgery scheduled for this afternoon so we'll likely keep him overnight for observation and release him sometime tomorrow." Meredith said to the man.

"Eww, hospital food!" Came the voice from the bed.

"Oh I don't know, tonight's pizza night," Alex chuckled as Robby's eyes lit up. "If I was in the hospital, I'd want to be here on pizza night."

Zach turned to Meredith. "Will I be allowed to stay overnight with him? It's just the two of us."

Meredith nodded. "Not a problem, we'll have a nurse bring in a pillow and blanket for you."

"Thank you Doctor Grey."

* * *

><p><strong>Next part on its way, reviews are, as always, much appreciated.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm going to attempt (heavy emphasis on ****_attempt_****) to update once a day, wish me luck!**

* * *

><p>Derek, Callie, Arizona, Christina, Meredith, Jackson, and Owen all sat around the conference table. One of the downsides to owning and running a hospital was that every so often they were forced to take time out of their busy schedules to talk to potential donors towards the hospital. At the other end of the table sat a sixty something man and his twenty something trophy wife.<p>

"Mr and Mrs Daniels, I'm so pleased you decided to donate to Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital." Chief Hunt said.

Craig Daniels smiled. He was one of Seattle's wealthiest citizens, having made multiple fortunes as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Everything he touched turned to gold. To his right sat his much younger wife Emily. He was well aware that she was only 2 or 3 years older than his eldest son, but he was at the age where he wasn't so terribly concerned with what others thought of him.

"I've always admired the work you and your doctors do here Chief Hunt, and I'm especially impressed that you are a cutting edge hospital run by doctors. I followed every turn of that Pegasus deal and might I say that was some of the shrewdest deal making I have ever seen." Craig Daniels boomed, this was a man at home in a business setting.

Owen beamed. It had been a long road but they were finally here. The worst was behind them.

"Not to sound callous or ungrateful Mr Daniels," Callie spoke up. "But just how much are you planning on donating to the hospital?"

"A lady who cuts to the chase, I like that." Craig Daniels exclaimed. "You must be Doctor Torres, am I right?"

"That would be me." Callie grimaced, bracing herself for the question she was so sure was coming. The one asking if she was the doctor who ruined the Olympic athlete. Thankfully that question didn't come.

"Carlos said his little girl was up here, a doctor on the board of some big hospital. I've worked with your father in the past, he's a good man. In regards to how much I'm planning on donating, well I wouldn't want to be out done by Carlos," he gave Callie a little wink. "How does $15,000,000 sound, for you to spend however you see fit?"

Meredith almost choked on her drink, while all around the table the other doctors had looks of shock on their faces. This was no small thing, $15,000,000 was a massive amount of cash that could do an incredible amount of good.

After a few moments, Mr Daniels spoke. "Am I to take your silence as a yes?"

Owen shook his head. "Yes, that's quite a donation Mr Daniels," he stammered.

"Well you all have earned it." He said in earnest, he felt good about this donation and if it just so happened to land him and his wife on the front of the society pages, so be it.

Each of the doctors gave the man a hearty thanks as handshakes were exchanged. "Darling," Craig boomed, turning towards his wife. "It may be a little while before I'm done with all the legal niceties regarding this donation, why don't you see if one of these nice doctors would show you around?"

"Doctor Grey would be more than happy to do that for you Mrs Daniels." Owen quickly offered, shooting Meredith a pleading glance.

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to see the children." The young Mrs Daniels cooed.

Shooting Owen a look that read something along the lines of 'you'll pay for this later', Meredith smiled. "Sure thing, if you would follow me."

* * *

><p>As the two of them walked towards the elevators, Meredith found herself surprised by this young woman. She wasn't the air-headed, money grubbing bimbo she had first took her for. She was engaging and warm and was able to speak knowledgeably on several topics.<p>

"I know how it must look, a 29 year old married to a man more than twice her age. But you have to understand, I do love my husband. Money aside he has made me very happy in our 7 years together."

"I'm sure he has." She replied, pressing the button for the peds floor.

"What's your husband like?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well you wear a ring, what's your husband like?"

Meredith was saved from having to answer as the elevator dinged and the two of them stepped out. As they passed by the rooms of children of all ages, Mrs Daniels seemed enchanted by all of them.

"I don't know how you don't just take them home with you, they're adorable. Do you have children Dr Grey?"

Meredith was about to reply when Mrs Daniels suddenly stopped in front of a patient window, her face ashen. Meredith quickly checked the door. '4219', Robby Collins? What could this woman want with an 11 year old in for an appendectomy?' She thought to herself.

"Mrs Daniels?"

"That boy, what's he here for?"

"That's Robby, he's having his appendix taken out this afternoon."

"He looks so big," Mrs Daniels remarked quietly. "How is he going to pay for this, he can't afford this."

Meredith opened her mouth to reply but just as quickly closed it again. It was fairly obvious the woman wasn't talking to her, or to anyone else for that matter. They just stood there for a few minutes, Mrs Daniels staring ahead at nothing and Meredith staring at Mrs Daniels. Finally Mrs Daniels spoke up.

"I'd like to go find my husband Doctor Grey." She said without emotion.

"Are you sure? We still haven't seen the newborns yet."

"Quite sure. Please Doctor Grey, take me to my husband."

Meredith could only nod as she lead the woman back towards the chiefs office, wondering what could this wealthy woman have seen in Robby Collins to suck the life right out of her.

* * *

><p>"I'm telling you, it was weird," Meredith whispered to Alex as they scrubbed in on Robby's surgery. "One moment she was this happy and bubbly person and the next moment, poof. Ice queen."<p>

"Maybe she finally realized how ridiculous it is to be 29 and married to a 100 year old billionaire." Alex snickered.

"He's not 100 years old. He's, like, 65 or something like that." Jo said as she joined the two of them. Stephanie had brought her up to speed on the donation from the Daniels after hearing it from Jackson. Jo looked at the faces she was getting from Meredith and Alex, Alex at least looked amused while Meredith looked a little miffed.

"What?" She asked them. "I can't help it if my best friend is dating Jackson Avery."

"Oh my god Grey she is you." Alex snorted.

The surgery went off without a hitch, and as the nurses rolled Robby back into his room, Jo found herself stuck with the paperwork. Not that she really minded, she actually kind of enjoyed doing it. It meant that, if nothing else, she got to listen to juicy hospital gossip. She started doing Robby's paper work when her eye caught something. Slightly alarmed she read it again and then again just to be sure she didn't miss anything.

"Page Doctors Grey and Karev, they need to see this."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**I may or may not have stayed up last night to write this, but it just kinda happened. I'm not sure if this is actually legally or medically sound, I just thought it made for a good plot device. Sorry if I'm wrong, please don't kill me! Enjoy it instead.**

* * *

><p>"Mister Collins," Jo said as she walked into the room. Maybe it was something in her voice or maybe it was the look in her eyes, but before she could go any further Zach looked at her and sighed.<p>

"You found out about Robby being placed in foster care right?"

She bit her lip and nodded and he sighed again.

"At least give me a chance to tell you what happened."

He motioned her over to the chair opposite the bed. Alex stood in the doorway as Jo sat down with Mer opting to stand behind her. Zach looked at his son.

"Robby's mother and I got pregnant when we were 18, too young to really be able to take care of a kid but we made a go of it. I dropped out of college and started working for a roofing company while Tori tried to stay in school and juggle a baby. She tried to be happy but she didn't want to be a mother, not yet anyway, and so finally she decided she had had enough and left us when Robby was 3."

He shook his head sadly. "She actually sent the divorce papers through the mail."

Meredith shot a glance at Alex, she knew that one brought up some painful memories for him. But his face betrayed nothing so she turned back to Zach.

"After a few months I saw her name pop up in the society column of the paper, saying she had basically flashed her rack at a multimillionaire enough times for him to propose. It was really hard after she left but it eventually got better. For a while things seemed like it might be ok for Robby and me, but then it all went to shit. When Robby was 6 I lost my job, tried like hell to get a new one but no one was biting and I got desperate, really desperate. Then when a buddy of mine offered me a desk job at his insurance office I thought I was too good to be true. Turns out it was, the entire operation was one big scam that went belly up. I think the judge took pity on me because while the rest of the people involved were getting sentences of 8-10, I got off with a maximum of 3 years. I didn't have any family other than an uncle, but he was in no position to take care of anyone other than himself. The day the social worker came to pick him up was the worst day of my life."

"Why didn't Robby's mother take him?" Jo asked.

"Robby's mother never wanted him, not when she got pregnant and not when she left us but not even I thought she would be so cold hearted as to turn her son over to foster care. The only way I could think of to contact her was through the oily little divorce attorney she had used, I think his name was Sylverman or something like that. I called him and explained the situation to him and how I needed to talk to Tori. Do you know what that bastard had the nerve to say to me?"

Zach's eyes clouded over and he checked to make sure his son was still sleeping. "He said that he was surprised it took me this long to fuck up, as if he was gloating over the fact that I was going to prison."

He dropped his shoulders and put his head in his hands for a few moments before he continued. "He called back a few days later telling me that he had spoken to Tori and that he was sorry but she was not able to take the kid at this time. I knew it was a load of bull, the more likely story was that she hadn't told her Richie Rich husband that she had a son and didn't want him to find out. But in any case, the result was the same. She wasn't gonna come save him."

Jo saw his eyes soften as he stared at his sons sleeping face.

"Every night I was away I would call him and I would read him 'The Cat in the Hat' or 'The Trouble I Had in Getting to Solla Sollew' or some other Dr Seuss. They were always his favorites. I read them so many times I could recite them from memory. I was out in 18 months, and from that point on I've tried to give him the world." He finished as he looked back up at the doctors. "I know it must look bad, a single father with a rap sheet. But I swear to god I am not my file, there is nothing I wouldn't do for my son."

For a long time the room was still without a single human sound. Finally Meredith spoke. "A nurse will be checking in on you two periodically through the night. Dr Karev and I will be around tomorrow morning to check on his stitches. He should be awake by then. We'll leave you two alone for now." She walked out of the room with Jo and Alex following close on her heals.

* * *

><p>"Not a word of the foster care situation to anyone else," Meredith said as soon as the three of them were out of ear shot. "I don't want any other invasions of this family's privacy."<p>

Alex and Jo nodded. "Damn this sucks," he said. "The fact that he lost his son means the option of doing pro bono work on the kid is out without having to answer a crap ton of questions from the DFS regarding the welfare of the child."

Jo sighed. "And his health insurance wouldn't cover a trip to the dentist, never mind a surgery like this. I guess health insurance companies don't take kindly to single dads with a criminal record."

"Isn't there something you can do Mer?"

"I can try and see if we can't use some of the donation money to cover the costs but it's not up to me alone." Meredith remarked. "I'm gonna have to take it up with the rest of the board and it's going to have to be unanimous."

The three of them fell silent. It would be no small task to convince the entire board. They could probably get Robins on board and Chief Hunt had a not so secret weak spot for children, but it was still gonna be a tough sell for the rest of them. The silence was broken by the sound of a pager. "Mine" Meredith said and promptly scurried off to her patient. "I'm gonna go check on the Sommers kid, I'll see you later." Alex gave Jo a peck on the cheek and went on about his business, leaving Jo on her own. As she turned to leave she saw a well dressed woman looking into Robby's room. "Excuse me miss, can I help you?" Jo asked. She wondered just how long the woman had been standing there and, more importantly, if she had herd any of Mr Collins story. "No dear, it's quite alright," The woman said. As Jo got closer she could tell that the jewelry was certainly real  
>and each piece was probably worth more than the car she had slept in during high school.<p>

"Well I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, visiting hours are over Ms,"

"Daniels, Mrs Emily Daniels. But in another life I was Mrs Tori Emily Collins." The smartly dressed woman said sadly.

Jo's eyes went wide and she gasped. "You're Robby's mother!"

* * *

><p><strong>Bum bum bum buuuuuummmmmm! You know the drill, review and I'll love you forever<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, thanks for all the positive feedback everyone! It's much appreciated. For some reason this chapter took me a little longer to write then usual, possibly because I started dancing around an idea for a new story. Hopefully the chapter turned out good, Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"I want to see him." Emily Daniels said bluntly. Currently she was sitting across from Chief Hunt in his office after being brought there by Doctor Wilson who was now standing behind Chief Hunt along with Dr Grey, who had joined them en route.<p>

Owen cleared his throat. "Mrs Daniels," he tried to begin.

"You are keeping me from my son, let me see Robby."

"According to Mr Collins, you have up all parental rights to Robby 8 years ago." Owen attempted to reason with the woman, but it was one of the few battles he was not going to win.

The former Mrs Collins gave an icy smile that made Jo's skin crawl. "I'm going to make this very simple for you Chief Hunt. You ether let me see Robby, or I get my husband to rescind the donation."

Jo saw Owens back stiffen. She studied the woman's face closely.

"It's your choice Doctor Hunt."

"You're bluffing." Jo told her.

Mrs Daniels looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Your left eye started twitching the moment you made that ultimatum."

If looks could kill, Jo was fairly certain Mrs Daniels would be arrested for murder but she didn't care. Who did this woman think she was, abandoning her child only to show up years later and expecting everything to be just fine?

"What makes you think you can speak to me like that? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"You're a woman who abandoned her son!" Jo spat, the rage that had been building towards this woman was dangerously close to boiling over.  
>Suddenly a thought struck her. "Does your husband know about Robby?"<p>

Jo saw the color leave Mrs Daniels face. "Oh course he does." She stammered.

"See, I don't think he does." She smirked, coldly. "Otherwise instead of threatening Chief Hunt, you'd be on the phone with your husband and  
>probably your husbands lawyer."<p>

"Wilson" Chief Hunt shot her a warning look but she ignored it.

"What do you think he'd say if he knew, maybe we should tell him?" Jo was practically spitting fire now.

"This is blackmail!"Mrs Daniels wailed.

"Dr Grey, please remove Dr Wilson." Owen ordered, he had lost control of the situation and damn it if he wasn't going to regain control. "Now!"

As Dr Grey closed the door behind them, Jo turned to face her attending. "You're probably furious with me now right? But she deserved it! Who abandons a child only to try to take him from a loving parent?"

"That's not our call, you let your emotions get in the way and you're going to have to pay for it. You'll be banned from the OR for the rest of he day. You can spend it updating patient info."

Jo was shocked. She had expected something far more severe. "Are you sure? You sure you don't want to give me something worse, I might have damaged the possibility of the hospital donation."

Meredith smiled, she was seeing more and more of herself in this intern as the day went on. "No I'm not, but I am going to tell you that if you listen stand next to the supply cart, you can hear everything that happens in the office." She shot Jo a friendly glance as she slipped back into the  
>office.<p>

Jo listened as the argument inside intensified until the door flew open and Mrs Daniels stormed out. Dr Grey left soon after and gave Jo a small smile. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, for some reason that she just couldn't put her finger on, she had a deep foreboding that this was far from over.

* * *

><p>Jessica sat miserably picking at hospital cafeteria food. This day was all out shit, on every level. Ok maybe the only bad thing that had happened today was that she had found out she was dying, but that pretty much guaranteed a shitty day all around.<p>

"Mind if I sit?" A male voice pierced her miserable fog. Jessica looked up at the source of the voice. A handsome young man dressed simply in a  
>white cotton shirt and blue jeans holding two coffees stood before her. "You looked awfully down do I wondered if you might like some company."<p>

Jessica smiled at the somewhat obvious pickup line. What the hell, why not?

"Pull up a chair." She said. The man placed his coffees on the table and sat down across from her. He had really beautiful emerald-green eyes. "So what are you in for?" She asked.

"My son is getting his appendix removed." Jessica tried not to let her face show her disappointment. If he had a son then that meant he probably  
>had a wife. "That coffee for you wife then?"<p>

"I'm not married," he said with a twinge of sadness in his eyes. "I was actually hoping this other one would be for you."

She smirked, was he actually hitting on her? She hoped he was, it'd be one thing to go right today. "Ok, but only if it's straight black."

"Is there any other way to drink it?"

They laughed, she didn't know why but she felt really at ease around this man.

"How about you," emerald eyes countered. "What's your story?"

She took a sip of coffee. "Terminal brain tumor. Without surgery I've got anywhere between 9 and 18 months."

"Ouch, I think you've got me beat. If it's not out of line, why wouldn't you have the surgery?"

She sighed. "I want those 9 to 18 months. The surgery only has a 10-15% chance of success. It's too big a risk."

"What does your family think of your decision?" He asked her.

She gave a pitiful little laugh. "I couldn't tell them, I dialed each of their numbers but I couldn't bring myself to actually call any of them."

The two of them sat there for a while in silence, sipping coffee. Finally he broke the silence.

"Hey, I don't think we've been properly introduced." He stuck out his hand. "Zach Collins."

She laughed and took his hand. "J...Jess." She stammered, making a split second decision not I tell him who she was.

"Well if that's your answer I'm changing mine to Sir Percy Hogsbottm." He smirked lightly.

"I'm sorry, it's just that outside I'm someone else with a life that's not normal. In here I'm not and for what it's worth, I like that." She tried  
>to explain. Thankfully he seemed to understand because he didn't push the subject. She started to ask him something but as soon as she looked up the question died on her lips. He was looking over her head and had a look on his face like someone had just lobbed a grenade into his lap. She turned around to see a well dress young woman walking their way looking at Zach. He got up. The woman stopped several feet away.<p>

"Hello Zach." Said Tori

Silence

"It's really me."

Again, silence.

"How've you been? You look good."

This time the pause was long enough that other people in the cafeteria were beginning to take notice.

"I saw that Robby was in the hospital, anything I can do to help?"

Zach swallowed and turned back to Jess. "It was very nice to meet you Jess, I hope we'll see each other again." He said to her before calmly  
>getting up and walking out of the cafeteria.<p>

Jessica turned to look at the woman. She looked as if she might cry. "I'm sorry Zach." She said in a shaky voice. "I'm so, so sorry."

* * *

><p><strong>I know I know, not a lot of Jolex, but fear not, it is coming. I promise! *Insert obligatory plea for reviews here*<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**So I actually had a ton of free time today so I sat down and just busted out the rest of this story. There's gonna be one or two chapters after this one, depending on how I feel I should divide them up.**

* * *

><p>Zach sat shell-shocked in his sons hospital room, staring at his son. His eyes drank in every detail of his sleeping face. His mind was racing. Robby's mother was here, he had actually seen her and she had spoken to him. It had been 8 years since he'd last seen her, but it was still Tori. Even underneath the $10000 wardrobe and the $50000 jewelry he could tell she was just as beautiful as the day he met her. But that wasn't what really surprised him. What really surprised him was the way he felt when he saw her. He had played out the scenario hundreds of times in his head over the years but none of them included feeling what he felt when he actually laid eyes on her again. A soft knock on the door drew his attention. He looked up to see Tori standing in the doorway.<p>

"What are you doing here Tori?" His tone icy.

"I saw he was in the hospital." She stammered. What do you say to the man you walked out on? "I'm here making a donation to the hospital with my husband and I passed by his room. When I saw you, I just couldn't stay away Zach."

"You know what I felt when I saw you Tori?" Zach said, nearly emotionless. "I felt nothing. I didn't even know what it was until just a few moments ago, but I didn't feel a single thing. No love, no hate, just nothing."

He could tell that hurt her but he didn't care, she had no right to be here.

"I came to see our son." She said simply.

That definitely got a reaction out of him. He leapt from his chair and pushed her out into the hall.

"How dare you call him our son." He hissed, trying very hard to keep his voice down. "What makes you think that you can waltz back into his  
>life after 8 years and say he's your son?"<p>

"He's my son, I'm his mother!"

"He is not your son anymore, you gave up any right you had to him when you walked out on us!"

"What do you mean he is not my son Zach, I certainly remember being pregnant with him and giving birth to him. I remember going to the doctor when he was 6 months old because he got colic. He is my son."

"I'm going to ask this one more time, what the hell do you want?" Zach asked, struggling to keep from loosing his mind at the woman he once  
>called his wife.<p>

"I want to pay for Robby's hospital stay. There is no possible way you can afford this."

"What makes you think that?" He spat.

"Come on Zach, you really think I can't tell that you're just barely getting by? You can't afford this, let me pay for it." She pleaded.

"I don't need your charity Tori. Or do you go by Emily now? I heard you married well."

"Zach come on, you know me."

"You're right, and what I know about you is all bad. Keep your money and get the hell out of our life." Zach turned to go back into the room.

"He's my son too." She firmly stated.

"But you are not his mother!" Zach finally exploded, not caring who heard him. "You were never there, you left us and you never looked back!" He shouted, by now the hall was dead silent, everyone was watching to scene unfold. "Who read to him every night over the phone while I was away? Who was it who when he said he wanted to dance instead of play football signed him up for lessons? Who went to every recital, and birthday party, and parent teacher conference? Goddamn it Tori! You didn't even come to him when it came down to you or foster care."

"I told Silverman, I couldn't do it!"

"You and I both know that's bullshit. You married money, you were more than able to do it. You were afraid that your sugar daddy would find out leave you!"

She stood stunned for a minute, she looked like she was about to cry. Zach realized this was exactly how she'd looked the night she found out she was  
>pregnant. Even though it had been years, even though she had put him through hell, even though he told her he felt nothing, he felt that familiar twinge of<br>wanting to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be alright.

"Let me see him." She said shakily, her voice steadily rising. "Let me see him damn it, let me see him!" She began to beat on his chest, sobbing. "Let me see him, let me see him, let me see him."

As this was going on, Jo and Alex had come upon the two. "Mrs Daniels," Jo said, attempting to console the woman. She put her hands on the woman's shoulders and pulled her off the man. "Mrs Daniels,"

"Get your hands off me." Tori slapped Jo across the face, hard. "You let me see him or so help me god I will take him from you!"

Jo was shocked for a moment, then she slapped the woman right back.

"That's enough!" She barked at the woman. "Mrs Daniels, leave now before I have security escort you out. I'm sure that would make a very nice headline, the wife of a Seattle élite being forced out of a hospital where her husband had just made an extremely sizable donation."

No one said anything so Jo took this as a sign she was safe to go ahead.

"The Chief was very clear when he explained earlier that you have no right to so much as see Robby so I suggest you let Doctor Karev escort you to the  
>lobby where you will exit this hospital, get in your car, and go home and we'll forget about this little misadventure. But I assure you, if you don't take that<br>option, I won't forget and I think you'll find that the Seattle Press won't ether."

"I think you'd better leave Mrs Daniels." Alex said quietly.

As Alex led her away, Emily Daniels looked back at her ex-husband and for the first time, Jo saw beyond the makeup and the clothes. She saw a desperate  
>woman, a woman who had tried to hide behind money and glamor only to find she had thrown away the best thing that ever happened to her. Jo turned back to Mr Collins only to find he had gone back into his sons room and was now standing at the foot of his bed. She came up next to him.<p>

"Thank you Doctor Wilson, that couldn't have been easy." His shoulders dropped. "But she's right. How the hell am I going to be able to  
>afford this? Robby deserves so much, but I can't give him anything better."<p>

Jo placed her hand on his shoulder. "I've had lots of experience with crappy parents but you're not one of them. From what I saw today you've given him everything. You love him, you would do anything for him. That's what he needs most. And as for the money, sometimes things have a way of working themselves out."

"You really think so?"

Jo smiled. "Yeah, yeah I do."

The moment was broken by a sudden ringing of alarms.

"What's happening?" Mr Collins asked, clearly alarmed.

"Sir, please step back." Jo pushed him out-of-the-way to get a look at Robby. It took her only seconds to diagnose the problem. "Page Yang and  
>Karev!" She yelled as a nurse ran in.<p>

"What's wrong with him?" Mr Collins asked, panicking as Alex and Christina ran through the door

Christina quickly assessed to problem before turning to Mr Collins. "Sir, your son has developed a heart arrhythmia. He needs surgery immediately."

As they wheeled Robby out of the room, Jo laid a hand on Mr Collins shoulder. "He's gonna be fine." She reassured him, before racing after the  
>group.<p>

* * *

><p>Jessica sat in the waiting room, not really knowing where else to go. She watched as, one by one, doctors came in to give people news that would change<br>their lives, for better or worse. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, thank god today was almost over. She heard someone sit next to her. She opened we eyes to find Zach, looking like he'd just been through his own worst day ever, collapse into the chair next to her.

"Hey." She said simply.

"Hey yourself."

"You look like hell."

He chuckled. "So do you." He took a drink from the water bottle in his hand. "They had to take Robby back into surgery, apparently he developed a heart arrhythmia and they had to take him back in to fix it."

"Oh my god, is he ok?"

"Yeah, they rushed him back in and got it all taken care of." He laughed humorlessly. "Is it wrong that I wish this was a bottle of vodka right now?"

The conversation stalled for a few moments before she heard him take a deep breath. "Jess, about earlier" he began.

She cut him off. "It's ok Zach, it's none of my business."

"I didn't know she was going to be here. You've got to understand, I've not seen Tori since Robby was 3. Then she has the nerve to try to waltz back  
>into our life like nothing was different."<p>

They lapsed back into silence, this time she was the one to break the silence.

"I called my mom, I told her about the tumor. She and dad hopped the first flight they could. It should be landing in a few hours."

"Where're they coming in from?"

"Atlanta."

"Did you tell your band mates?" She looked at him with mild surprise. "Come on, you really thought I would recognize Jessica Hall, Grammy award  
>winning singer?"<p>

"Oh no I've been caught." She threw her head back and laughed and he laughed too. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you outright, but it was kind of nice just to be Jess for a little bit."

"No, I understand. I'd have loved to be able to be someone else for parts of today. Did you make a decision on what you're gonna do about, you know?"  
>He asked, slowly.<p>

"I don't know." Was all she managed to say. It was also the most honest thing she could say, she didn't really feel like she knew anything anymore.

"Good, you don't have to decide it tonight. You need your family to help you make it." He took her hand. "I want you to just do what makes you happy."

"Why do you care so much about me?"

He blushed, hard. She watched as his emerald eyes sparkled for the first time today. "I don't know, I like you. Besides, you seem like you need someone  
>to care about you." He stammered.<p>

She turned away. "Would you still like me if I wasn't famous?"

"Who's famous? I'm just a guy in a hospital with his son and you're just Jess."

She grinned. 'Just Jess', she liked how that sounded.

Zach shifted uncomfortably. "Listen, I need to head back to Robby. Why don't you come and wait for your folks with us? I can promise you cold leftover  
>cafeteria pizza and semi warm coffee stolen from the nurses station."<p>

Now it was her turn to go beat red. "You asking the dying girl on a date?"

"You saying yes?"

She nodded and smiled as he stood up and offered her his hand. Maybe, just maybe, something good had come out of this day after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here it is folks, the final chapter. This is one of my favorites that I've written, especially the first and last parts. Thank yawl so much for the wonderful feed back.**

* * *

><p>"Jo really kicked ass today."<p>

Meredith and Alex were in the locker room getting ready to go on their respective dates for the evening.

"Yeah she did," Alex smiled. "You can deny it all you want but even you have to agree she's more like you when we were interns then you care to admit."

"I never denied it, it's actually kind of flattering." Meredith conceded. "But if you ever tell her I said that they will be able to fit what's left of you in a scrub cap."

Alex chuckled. "Did the board make a decision on the Collins kid?"

Meredith nodded. After Robby's arrhythmia was corrected, Mer had somehow managed to get all the board members into the same room for just long enough for Jo to make an impassioned speech on the boys behalf. "It was unanimous, part of the Daniels donation will be used to cover his hospital expenses."

"Great, at least she managed to do something for her kid, even if it was through her husband."

She nodded the turned to Alex. "Jo can be pretty damn convincing. At one point she got so worked up that she actually started crying. It's hard to say no to a woman's tears."

Alex smiled, remembering his girlfriends hidden talent for crying on cue. He then looked around to make sure the two of them were alone in the room before moving in close to Meredith. "Can I show you something?"

"Depends, is it dirty?"

"I'm serious Mer, the only reason I'm showing you this is because you are practically my sister and if I don't show this to someone I'll explode."

Alex slowly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little blue box with the word 'Tiffany's' embossed across the top. Mer's eyes lit up as she gave a little gasp. "Is that what I think it is?" Alex only nodded. "Oh Alex!" She gushed.

He laughed, what was it about chicks and rings? He looked at her. "Am I crazy for doing this?"

"Well that depends, do you love her? I don't mean 'screwing like kinky bunnies in a closet' love her. I mean a no holds barred, standing in front of a bullet, clutching her hand as she's lying under a plane, holding a freaking bomb love her. Because I swear to god Alex, if you go through this again only to screw it up..." She trailed off.

Alex gave her his trademark smirk. "That sounds vaguely reminiscent of something I heard Addison said to you a lifetime ago." This earned him a shove from Meredith.

"I'm serious, I will kick your ass."

He looked down at the box, slowly tracing the letters with his thumb. Finally he looked back at Meredith.

"I love her as much as Mark loved Lexie." It was the most serious and most honest thing he could come up with.

"Good. I like this one, she's good for you."

The moment was interrupted by the opening of the door. Alex scrambled to shove the ring back in his pocket.

"What's going on in here?" Christina asked, eyeing Evil Spawn and her person.

"Nothing." They both stammered unconvincingly.

Christina paused for a moment. "Did he show you the ring he bought for Hobo Jo?"

Alex was stunned. "How the hell do you know about that?" He practically screamed.

"Calm down Evil Spawn, I live in your house remember? I found the receipt in the trash like, three weeks ago. Just be glad it was me who found it and not Hairball or one of the other interns."

Alex groaned. "Just don't say anything to anyone else about it."

"Don't say anything about what?" Jackson asked as he entered the room.

"Alex is proposing to Jo."

"Christina!" Meredith and Alex yelled.

"What? It's just Pretty Boy."

"Gee thanks Yang. Are you seriously proposing dude? That's great!"

"Give you any ideas about a certain someone Avery?" Christina poked as Jackson shot her a dirty look. It was no secret around the hospital that April had broken off her engagement for him but they had decided to try to take it slow, something that was obviously killing the both of them.

"You're a real bitch, you know that?"  
>Jackson spat.<p>

"You love me." Christina grinned.

"Yeah yeah it's great. Now would you all just please not say anything. I'd like for her to hear it from me first and not from gossiping nurses."

After swearing all three of them to secrecy, Alex took a deep breath. One way or another tonight would change his life, and he desperately hoped it would be for the best.

* * *

><p>Even though it was a week night, the little restaurant was packed to bursting with people spilling out the door and onto the sidewalk. As Derek pressed though the throng of people, looking for the hostess stand, Meredith hung back by the door, taking in her surroundings. 'Niro's Fiddle' had only been open a few weeks but already it had gained a reputation as THE new restaurant in Seattle, especially for date night. The reputation seemed to be well eared as Meredith saw at least a dozen couples scattered around, but it was the couple at the corner booth that got her attention. She briefly wondered how Alex had managed to get reservations to this place before she realized that she and Derek really shouldn't be there. They should be close by, just not there. Spotting Derek, she gently laid a hand on his shoulder.<p>

"You know, I don't really feel like Italian tonight." She told him

"You sure? You've been talking about trying this place ever since it opened."

"I know, but I just don't think we should try it tonight."

Derek shrugged, he knew better than to argue with her. "Where too then?"

* * *

><p><em>*Derek and I are at the sushi bar two doors down, lemme know how it goes<em>

Alex smiled as he read Meredith's text.

"Everything alright?" Jo asked as he slid the phone back into his pocket.

"Yeah, Mer was just sending me an update on the Collins kid."

"How's he doing?"

"He's good." Alex smirked. "You know you can't actually leak Mrs Daniels story to the newspapers right?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't need to know that." She giggled, causing Alex's heart to beat a little faster. God she looked beautiful tonight. "I still can't believe you slapped the wife of one of the wealthiest men in Seattle

Jo groaned. "I can not believe that I did that! I thought I'd moved past doing things like that."

"Whatever, she deserved it." Alex grinned as he leaned in close to her. "And it was also kinda hot."

He laughed as she blushed and scooted close to her, silently thanking the waitress for giving them a corner booth. He kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too Alex." She smiled as he put his arm around her. It felt good to be with someone who loved her so completely, so thoroughly, and whom she loved just as much in return.

He kissed her lips. "I'd be lying if I said I haven't felt like this before, but the main difference between then and now is that before it always seemed forced. Like fitting a square peg into a round hole."

Jo looked at him, where was he going with this?

"I loved Izzie, but I've never known if she loved me. The more I think of it, the more I doubt it. I told myself after she left that from then on, it was just going to be sex. But then I met you." He swallowed. "I don't know if it was because we started out as friends or what, but you changed me. You broke down all the walls and all the barriers and you made me fall head over heals in love with you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little blue box. When Jo saw it, her heart stopped. "I'm not gonna get down on one knee, but I want to spent the rest of my life with you. Jo Wilson, marry me?"

Her eyes lit up, her hand flew to her mouth, she couldn't speak. She tried to form words but nothing came out. She nodded.

"Yes?" He asked nervously.

Jo gulped and managed to find her voice. "Yes, oh my god Alex yes!" Tears were streaming down her face.

"Yes?" Alex broke out into a smile.

Jo laughed "Get over here and put that damn ring on my finger!"

* * *

><p>Jo leaned up against Alex, passing him the bowl of popcorn. After he popped the question, nether of them wanted to stay very long so they quickly called for the check. They had hardly gotten in the door before they proceeded to rip each other's clothes off and had spent the last hour and a half making all kinds of hot and dirty love. Now they were winding down by watching a movie, Jo's choice.<p>

"You think we should change those sheets?" He smirked. Jo laughed.

"You better or I'm never sleeping in that bed again."

Alex kissed her head. "Remind me again why you're making me watch '27 Dresses'?"

"Because you love me, and Katherine Heigl's in it so there's some eye candy for you."

Alex laughed. "You're all the eye candy I need." He said as he kissed her and pulled her close. "Looks like you got your 'pigging out on the couch in your PJ's' after all.

"I guess I did." She replied as she snuggled up against him, her head resting on his chest.

He kissed her lips, feeling her soft and supple lips brush up against his. "I love you, fiancée."

"I love you too, fiancée." She smiled, god that felt good to say.

They were about half way through the movie when Christina and Meredith came in.

"Hey, what are we watching?" Meredith said from the door.

"27 Dresses." Jo said, shooting Alex a confused glance but he was just as lost as she was. What the hell were the twisted sisters doing here?

"Ugh, if we're watching Katherine Heigl prance around on-screen I'm gonna need booze." Christina remarked as she headed of towards the kitchen. She returned a short while later, tequila bottle in hand and plopped down next to Jo. "Move over hairball."

"What the hell, what are you both doing here?" Alex asked, sounding annoyed.

"I live here." Was Christina's smart aleck reply.

"Remind me to change that later." He said under his breath as he looked at Mer for an explanation.

"You didn't text me to tell me how it went. I tried looking for you at the restaurant but the hostess said you left. How'd it go?"

"There's a ring on her finger!" Christina announced, holding up Jo's hand for Mer to see. Meredith beamed as she made her way over to the couch.

"Ooh, popcorn!" Meredith said, taking a handful as she maneuvered her way into a space between Jo and Christina.

"Sure, help yourself." Alex said, exasperated. "Aren't you supposed to be babysitting Yang?"

"Derek's with them. As soon as they got home she grabbed me and we came right over."

"Gee thanks." Alex rolled his eyes.

Christina took a swig from the tequila bottle. "You know they do it in the kitchen? I found her panties next to the tequila. Same hiding spot." Meredith laughed.

"We do not!" Jo shrieked.

"Oh god the memories," Meredith tried to catch her breath. "Except it was Derrick and I on the counter instead of these two."

"You mean you had sex in the same place where we..." Jo let that thought sink in for a moment. "Oh yuck! Seriously?"

"I think Owen and I did it on the table once or twice." Christina volunteered.

"And the floor." Meredith giggled.

"Up against the wall."

"Twice!"

"Oh my god Alex we are burning the kitchen!" Jo screamed.

As the night wore on and the movie neared its conclusion, the tequila bottle was making its way back and forth along the couch. The only one not drinking was Mer, due to the fact she was still breast-feeding, but that didn't stop her from looking longingly at the bottle each time it passed by. As the credits rolled, the clock chimed 11:30.

"That...that was a great movie." Christina slurred as the bottle was passed back to her.

"You're drunk." Meredith made a half-hearted attempt to take the bottle.

Christina grinned. "Damn straight. I'm getting drunk for the both of us."

Meredith shook her head. "Come on, you're staying with me tonight." She winked at Alex before removing the tequila bottle from Christina's hands and maneuvering her out the door. "Hey Alex," she stopped and looked back at him. "Congratulations, I'm really proud of you."

Alex smiled and looked down at Jo's head softly resting against his chest, her fingers toying with the ring, and her face the picture of pure contentment. "Me too."

**The End**


End file.
